1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to a desired image by radiating light on a photosensitive medium, forms a toner image by supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image, and prints an image by transferring and fixing the toner image on a recording medium.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1, a photosensitive drum 2, a developing unit 3, and an exposure unit 4 are installed above a paper transportation path 1, a transfer roller 5 and a paper feed cassette 8 are installed below the paper transportation path 1. The exposure unit 4 is installed above the photosensitive drum 2 to form the electrostatic latent image by radiating light on the photosensitive drum 2. The developing unit 3 includes a toner container 6 containing toner. A developing roller 7 is installed at a front end of the toner container 6. Toner is supplied to the electrostatic latent image by the developing roller 7, and a toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 2. Through a transfer nip where the photosensitive drum 2 faces the transfer roller 5, the toner image is transferred on a sheet of paper S supplied from the paper feed cassette 8. A fixing unit 9 fixes the toner image on the sheet of paper S by applying heat and pressure to the toner image.
Referring to FIG. 1, the toner container 6 is extended transversely from the front end of the toner container 6 where the developing roller 7 is located. In order to perform a printing process at a high speed and extend a life span of the developing unit 3, there is a tendency that a volume of the toner container 6 becomes enlarged. The toner container 6 must be extended transversely in order to enlarge the volume of the toner container 6 while maintaining the image forming apparatus in a slim size. As the volume of the toner container 6 is enlarged as described above, a footprint of the image forming apparatus becomes large. Considering that the image forming apparatus is chiefly used in an office, it is desirable to have a smaller footprint. Also, it is difficult to transfer toner disposed in a place 10 far away from the front end of the toner container 6 although an agitator 11 is installed for stirring the toner as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, a toner consumption efficiency depreciates because all toner in the toner container 6 may not be used for an image forming process.